Sami Zayn is aware that, through no fault of his own, his chances of winning the WWE Championship have been significantly diminished.
When Sami Zayn faced Roman Reigns in Montreal in February 2023 for the Undisputed Championship, it was the biggest match of his career. The Canadian crowd cheered for their hometown hero despite the fact that many knew how the match would end in advance. Unlike past Reigns defences, there was very little chance that the unthinkable would actually happen. Zayn would still get his WrestleMania moment when he and Kevin Owens defeated The Usos in the first night’s big event to become the new Tag Team Champions, even though Reigns did emerge victorious.
When we fast-forward to the present, WWE is very different. At the entry level, there are two world championships to compete for, with both competitors holding full-time titles. Endeavour also owns the business alongside the UFC.
The company’s internal management has also undergone changes, with Triple H taking over creative leadership and Vince McMahon stepping down. Although Triple H has received a lot of praise for his sensible booking and significantly better production skills, Zayn has acknowledged that his odds of success have decreased.
In an interview with Mail Online’s Alex McCarthy, the Intercontinental Champion talked about how Triple H and McMahon had differing perspectives on him:
This is how I perceive things. I believe that Hunter has a different opinion of me than Vince had, particularly regarding my goodness. I believe that Vince saw me more negatively, for a variety of reasons. He observed my irritating traits, which he felt made me a character that was annoying.
That said, I believe that Hunter’s week-to-week strategy made things much more unpredictable than Vince’s, since sometimes the marble would just fall into the right hole and you would win. In contrast, I believe that Hunter has a much longer-term vision, and if you’re not a part of it, your chances of succeeding in it are significantly reduced.
Regarding the prospect of being the company’s greatest champion, Zayn continued, stating that while he could have prevailed under McMahon, it was unlikely to have been the heroic babyface triumph that many had anticipated:
It has two sides, so to speak. He may have an opinion of me that makes me more likely to be included in the running and perhaps win. However, I might have easily won the world title by slipping on a banana peel.
I simply try my hardest. I just strive to do the best performances I can, bringing as much emotion to the stage as I can, and telling the best stories I can. And I’m hoping that will finally help me get there.
In addition, Zayn stated that while he would be thrilled to win the WWE championship, he wouldn’t be bothered if it didn’t happen:
Without a doubt, I’d like to win the world title once before calling it quits, but that’s not how I live or die. I truly appreciate folks expressing their desire to see it; it would be fantastic. Even if I hope it does happen, I would still like to watch it because it has been incredible.